Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

Another gem that I discovered on Pinterest and added to my Christmas “baking” list for this year.  This delicious peanut butter truffle candy was so quick and easy to make, so beautiful, and so delicious.  Of course, how can you go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate?

This tastes exactly like a homemade peanut butter cup.  You could decorate these with all different kinds of sprinkles for different holidays.  This is not just a great candy to make for Christmas, but you could make them for Valentine’s Day, the 4th of July, Easter, St. Patties Day… The possibilities are endless. 🙂

P.S. This recipe goes a lot faster if you throw all the ingredients for the peanut butter mixture into your food processor and pulse it until it forms a ball.  If you don’t have a food processor, the good ‘ol fashioned bowl and spoon works great too.

Thanks to The Hazel Bloom for the recipe.

Ingredients:

•1 cup creamy peanut butter (Jif, Skippy or the like – not the all-natural stuff)

•6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

•2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

•1 cup milk chocolate chips

•2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

•Sprinkles (optional)

 
Directions:
 
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the peanut butter and the butter.
 
Sift in the powdered sugar, stirring with a fork until combined. The mixture will be crumbly.

Using your hands, shape pieces of the peanut butter mixture into one-inch balls, and set on waxed paper.

Let balls sit for 20 – 30 minutes until dry to the touch.

In a small bowl, add the chocolate chips and the shortening.

Microwave the chocolate chips and shortening at high power for 30 seconds; stir. Continue heating in 15 second increments, stirring each time, until chocolate chips begin to melt. Keep stirring until they’re all the way melted. For me and my microwave, this takes about a minute total.

Drop the balls into the chocolate and, using a fork, coat the ball. Lift out carefully with the fork and place on waxed paper.

If using sprinkles, scatter them on the peanut butter balls once they’re all coated.

Allow to sit for an hour or two until the chocolate has hardened.

Set in cute paper candy cups for some extra flair.

Keep tightly covered in the fridge for up to two weeks.